The purpose of this research was to determine the success rate of business plan proposals submitted at selected financial institutions. In the context of this study, selected financial institutions refer to the four main retail banks of South Africa, namely ABSA, First National Bank, Standard Bank and Nedbank. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with eleven small business owners from each bank, bringing the total of small business owners interviewed to 44. The interviews were guided by a set of closed-ended and open-ended questions eliciting information from small business owners as to how they draft or develop their business plans. Open-ended questions allowed the respondents to express their opinions and assisted the researcher to seek clarification on the reasons or motivations behind the responses. The research found that the business plans submitted to financial institutions were ineffective as they fell short of elements that should be included in a business plan. This finding was based solely on the small businesses sampled. The results indicate that small business owners need to put in more effort to prepare sound business plans. Small business owners need to take greater care and effort to provide financial institutions with what is essentially required when applying for finance. Good record of accomplishment, good credit record, business expertise or skills, and the availability of collateral and risk capital, are all considered by small business owners to be essential in order to obtain finance. Conversely, lack of risk capital, lack of collateral and poor cash flow, are considered to be barriers to obtaining finance. Small business owners need financial institutions to assist them with their skills development. These include mentorship and training services, a tool to create business plans, an enterprise toolkit, and a model for cash flow. Government incentive schemes are unpopular with small businesses, and as a result, small business owners miss other sources of finance. Financial institutions could do more to improve the situation and to increase the accessibility of finance to the SMME sector. Financial institutions continue to place greater reliance on sound or viable business plans. This is understandable owing to the need to assess repayment ability. Small business owners need to be aware of what information financial institutions require when they assess finance applications. Overall, they should be more prepared when applying for finance. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

A better understanding of people’s attitudes to housing is fundamental to attracting new residents and retaining those who already live in or close to the central city. As such, this study operating in a Canadian context adopts Hägerstrand’s model for the process of innovation diffusion. The study draws on the findings of an online survey and interviews with city planners in both Edmonton and Winnipeg to explore the demand and supply dimensions of city-center living and attitudes towards different types of housing and neighbourhood design. The study shows that the central area in Winnipeg and Edmonton are at different stages regarding housing. Prospective home owners who are interested in housing in the central area share a number of environmental attitudes. These attitudes were related to the care for recycling, the importance for eating organic food, the use of public transportation, volunteering in non-profit organization to help the community and the interest in attending cultural activities. Based on the results of the study, it can be expected that housing types such as apartments, townhouses and even loft housing can be more common in the future and especially in Winnipeg since apartments and townhouses are already common in Edmonton.

The purpose of this research was to determine the success rate of business plan proposals submitted at selected financial institutions. In the context of this study, selected financial institutions refer to the four main retail banks of South Africa, namely ABSA, First National Bank, Standard Bank and Nedbank. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with eleven small business owners from each bank, bringing the total of small business owners interviewed to 44. The interviews were guided by a set of closed-ended and open-ended questions eliciting information from small business owners as to how they draft or develop their business plans. Open-ended questions allowed the respondents to express their opinions and assisted the researcher to seek clarification on the reasons or motivations behind the responses. The research found that the business plans submitted to financial institutions were ineffective as they fell short of elements that should be included in a business plan. This finding was based solely on the small businesses sampled. The results indicate that small business owners need to put in more effort to prepare sound business plans. Small business owners need to take greater care and effort to provide financial institutions with what is essentially required when applying for finance. Good record of accomplishment, good credit record, business expertise or skills, and the availability of collateral and risk capital, are all considered by small business owners to be essential in order to obtain finance. Conversely, lack of risk capital, lack of collateral and poor cash flow, are considered to be barriers to obtaining finance. Small business owners need financial institutions to assist them with their skills development. These include mentorship and training services, a tool to create business plans, an enterprise toolkit, and a model for cash flow. Government incentive schemes are unpopular with small businesses, and as a result, small business owners miss other sources of finance. Financial institutions could do more to improve the situation and to increase the accessibility of finance to the SMME sector. Financial institutions continue to place greater reliance on sound or viable business plans. This is understandable owing to the need to assess repayment ability. Small business owners need to be aware of what information financial institutions require when they assess finance applications. Overall, they should be more prepared when applying for finance. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

We investigate how the evolution of ownership structure affects corporate financial and operating performance and corporate strategies. In particular, we study whether the shift in control rights away from the dominant shareholder mitigates agency problems and accordingly expropriation of minority investors by the controlling shareholder. More specifically, does the increase in power of the second large shareholder manifest in the firm’s operating and financial performance, and financing and operating strategies? Using ownership data for 1996 and 2008 representing 403 firms from nine East Asian countries, we find strong and robust evidence that the change in the voting rights of the second largest shareholder over these twelve years is associated with higher firm valuation, better operating performance, better access to long term financing, more efficient operation management strategies and a higher dividend payout ratio. Consistent with prior literature that finds multiple large shareholders play an internal governance role and mitigate agency problems, our findings imply that an increase in the voting rights of the second large shareholder improves firm’s corporate governance and mitigates agency problems consequently increasing firm performance and improving strategies.

Thesis (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Full text release at OhioLINK's ETD Center delayed at author's request

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / It has been noticed that many countries around the world have started making the construction and development of industrial SMEs one of the critical driving forces for economic growth of their countries. The SMEs industry has shown growth and good performance in East and Southeast Asia (South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan). Many researchers have undertaken research on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, including the development of rural entrepreneurship. Despite numerous articles and numerous past research surveys conducted on SMEs in South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Ukraine, Tanzania, Botswana, China, Taiwan, UK, Australia, USA including many other developing countries, the understanding of the determinants of survival and growth of rural SMEs in rural areas, with specific reference to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the existence of a growth model remain largely unknown. Since rural businesses operate in different environments from those in urban areas, it is essential to have a broad understanding and knowledge of business characteristics of small and medium enterprises of rural entrepreneurs, including their personal attitudes, rural entrepreneurial orientation growth of business, external/internal environmental dynamics, as well as rural entrepreneurial resources. In recent times, rural entrepreneurship has had a huge impact on many issues, including economic development, employment, food supply and social safety. With more and more people moving from the rural areas to urban areas due to a lack of employment opportunities and the complexity of running their own business, the problem of potential social unrest and many other problems become more and more real. Thus, it is very important that researchers, especially in those countries with large numbers of people living in the rural areas to investigate this problem and provide ways of how to solve it. The assumptions and the confusion, surrounding rural SMEs owners/managers awareness, perceptions and the understanding of various determinants of survival and growth of rural SMEs in their areas, highlights a need and creates interest for academics to conduct more research in this particular area. There are a number of other important reasons, such as the failure rate of SMEs that also need to be investigated. This study was conducted within the rural areas of the southern region of KZN province, using quantitative research methods. The sample for the study consisted of 150 owners/managers of SMEs. The respondents were selected using quota sampling and required to complete a research questionnaire, with an interviewer present to assist. The research instrument consisted of a close–ended, questionnaire made up of a 5 point Likert scale with the questionnaires distributed to five selected areas in the rural southern region of KZN province. The research findings indicate that the size of the local market is very small for selling SMEs products; poor infrastructure has an impact on their business growth and lack of financial support as well as tough government regulations adversely affect SME growth. This study provides both theoretical and practical implications for rural entrepreneurs and policy-makers. The study presents a number of recommendations, including a conceptual growth model for rural SMEs.

El presente proyecto “Fancy Rent Bag” tiene por finalidad desarrollar un modelo innovador y escalable que permita contribuir sosteniblemente a la sociedad, de tal manera que este pueda hacer frente a nuestros competidores del mercado nacional a través de diferentes estrategias de marketing enfocadas en optimizar nuestros procesos operativos y de venta; y así posicionar a la empresa y aumentar su participación de mercado para llegar a al segmento objetivo y clientes potenciales de manera efectiva. Asimismo, nuestro público objetivo se divide en dos segmentos. Por un lado, el primer segmento o también “consumidoras que desean alquilar carteras de marca” se enfoca en mujeres peruanas modernas residentes de Lima Metropolitana de 18 a 39 años de edad de los niveles socioeconómicos AB y C. La propuesta brindada para el segmento 1 es ofrecer un espacio digital en el cual las usuarias puedan encontrar diversas carteras de marca a precios accesibles. Por otro lado, el segundo segmento de mercado o “propietarias”, son aquellas mujeres que desean rentar sus carteras de marca y ganar dinero adicional; este segmento comprende a mujeres peruanas de estilo sofisticado residentes de Lima Metropolitana de 20 a 40 años de edad pertenecientes a un nivel socioeconómico A y B. Ante ello, durante el transcurso del proyecto fue posible percibir una acogida incremental por la renta de las carteras de marca, lo cual también fue validado con las impresiones e interacciones en redes sociales, Google Ads y Google Analytics. / "The present project “Fancy Rent Bag” aims to develop an innovative and scalable model, which allows contributing sustainably to society, so that it can face our national competitors through different marketing strategies focused on optimizing our operational and sales processes. Thus, the company will be able to position in the market and increase its market share to reach its target segment and potential customers effectively. Likewise, our target audience is divided in two segments. On the one hand, the first segment or also called ""consumers who want to rent luxury or designer bags"" focuses on modern peruvian women residing in Metropolitan Lima from 18 to 39 years of age from the socioeconomic status A, B and C. The proposal for segment 1 is to offer a digital space in which users can find different exclusive bags at affordable prices. On the other hand, the second segment or also called “owners” are those women who want to rent their luxury bags and earn extra money. This segment includes Peruvian women of sophisticated style residing in Metropolitan Lima from 20 to 40 years of age from the socioeconomic status A and B. Given this, during the course of the project it was possible to notice an incremental reception of the rent of luxury bags, which was with the impressions and interactions on social networks, Google Ads and Google Analytics. / Trabajo de investigación

In a small, owner-managed, knowledge work firm, assessments were completed on the owners as a method to complete job analysis—surfacing tacit knowledge such as personal characteristics, cognitive style, values and philosophy that contributed to success. Business strategy is often strongly influenced by the tacit knowledge and competencies of the owners, and their unique perspective on the company and marketplace.

Many of the Swedish environmental targets are related to forests, mostly “Living forests” and “A rich plant and animal life ”. These targets are not being met and the development in the environment is negative. Forests and the species living within them are being affected. With the landmass of Sweden being 69% forest and 47% of this being owned by private forest owners, these people can influence the direction of Swedish forestry. Problems revolve around clear cutting, which influences many species as they cannot survive in the changed habitat. The aim of the report is to investigate how private forest owners in Sweden view their forests and the environmental considerations within it. A survey was sent to 500 Swedish private forest owners, with 11% responding to the questions. The survey asked questions about the respondents, such as age, sex, how much forest they own, their knowledge of environmental consideration in the forest, how they manage their forest and how much environmental consideration they take in doing so. There was no correlation between the respondents' age, sex, how long they had owned their forest, how much forest they owned and how they acquired their forests to what knowledge level they had. Most respondents wish for more economic compensation in order to increase their environmental consideration and consider the economy the most im portant part of their forestry. Thus, the results from this study show more investments are needed, as well as spreading information regarding how continuous stand forestry can be economically profitable.